1. Although she is not one of the major characters, Emilia, wife of Iago, says one of my favorite lines in the play. In Act IV, Scene III Emilia responds to Desdemona’s question about whether she would commit adultery by saying, “Why, who would not make her husband a cuckold to make him a monarch? I should venture purgatory for't.” I like this line because it shows how vastly different Emilia and Desdemona are from one another. Contrary to Emilia’s belief, Desdemona is completely faithful and loyal to Othello. This line also revisits the idea that Emilia may have had an affair with Othello which was the catalyst for Iago’s motives to harm Othello.
The other line in Othello that I like is from Act V, Scene II when Othello is preparing to murder his wife Desdemona. Othello cries:
…but once put out thy light, thou cunning'st pattern of excelling nature, I know not where is that Promethean heat that can thy light relume. When I
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Even though Shakespeare’s Othello was written during the Elizabethan Era, the play is still relevant today. For example, while I wait at the end of my register for costumers to check out through my line at Winn Dixie, I read the covers of different gossip magazines splashing pictures of forlorn lovers being cheated on by their partners. Newscasters on the nightly news ruin politicians’ reputations in a matter of seconds by condemning statements they falsely believe the politicians may have said. Similarly in the play, Iago wants to destroy Othello’s prosperity and respectability through false rumors. Iago’s intentions to torment Othello parallel the motives of nightly newscasters who damage politicians and gossip magazines that humiliate celebrities’ for their infidelity because all three use slander to fulfill their purpose. Although there were no magazines or nightly news channels during Shakespeare’s time, the themes of adultery and slander exhibited in Othello existed in the fourteenth century and continue to exist in modern
In Act IV, scene ii and iii, Emilia shows her contemporary views about relationships to the audience and talks to Desdemona while doing so. She believes that many men and women are commonly guilty of cheating and betrayal of their partner. At this point, Othello’s worries of Desdemona’s unfaithfulness have wholly increased, and he begins to accuse her of cheating on him. Desdemona then hopes Othello sees to her honesty and truthfulness of the matter. “I hope my noble lord esteems me honest” (Act IV, scene II line 67). Othello counters her begging by beginning his sarcasm and request for her to never have been born. He says, “O, ay. As summer flies are in the shambles,that quicken even with blowing. O Thou weed, Who art so lovely fair and smell’st so sweet That the sense aches at thee, would thou hadst ne’er been born!”(Act IV scene II lines 68-70)
Act iii, scene iii, lines 108-131 of William Shakespeare’s “Othello” unquestionably shows Iago’s trickery and deceptiveness which is masked through his reputation for honesty, reliability and direct speaking. This section not only shows Iago’s slow but powerful act of deception, but also shows the jealousy and insecurities slowly depriving Othello’s inner peace and balance.
Othello and Desdemona's Love In Act 1 Scene 3. The scene begins with the Duke and senators sitting around a table in the dukes chamber, the conversation is based around what is going on. in Cyprus the conversation is between the Duke, a Sailor, an Officer, a messenger and senators of the United States. Lots of different people express their different thoughts but in the end the main message is that soon Cyprus will be under attack by the Turks.
Would you kill your significant other because your friend suggested they were cheating? In a marriage trust is everything, therefore solid evidence of your spouse cheating would need to be an obligation before ending the commitment. Desdemona is loyal to Othello throughout their entire marriage, there is no reason he shouldn’t have trusted her over Iago. Othello seems to be a better friend than husband as he is trustworthy of Iago’s lies. He is devoted to Iago’s plan and decided that he will go through with the killing of his own wife. Jealousy cannot over power genuine love, therefore Othello doesn’t love Desdemona, however he simply loves how much affection she has for his struggles. Othello doesn’t deserve sympathy because he doesn’t know
The fact that Othello is wavering between believing Iago and trusting his wife is reflected in the imagery Shakespeare uses in the soliloquy. The first image that is used is that of a falcon. Lines 301-304 read: “If I do prove her haggard, / Though that her jesses were my dear heartstrings, / I’d whistle her off and let her down the wind to prey at fortune.” This shows that Othello is still unsure about Desdemona, and claims that though he is in love with Desdemona, he would drop her if he found out she was cheating. This is quite a strong willed statement, but it is diminished by lines 319-320, which follow the entrance of Desdemona and Emilia into the chamber. Othello says, “If she be false, heaven mocks itself! / I’ll not believe ‘t.” This is an example of how turbulent Othello’s state of mind is. The steadfast determination expressed using the falcon image sort of “melts” when he sees Desdemona, and he immediately professes denial that she could be untrue to him. Yet, just ten lines earlier (l. 308), Othello says, “She’s gone! I am abused!” and proceeds to lament the very institution of marriage: “O cure of marriage, ? That we can call these delicate creatures ours / And not their appetites!” Shakespeare’s placing of these three different conclusions Othello has drawn in such close proximity is an example of antithesis, and a testament to the changing and chaotic state of mind of Othello.
Othello's Responsibility for Desdemona's Death. Othello is one of Shakespeare's most popular plays. Its controversial issues and passionate characters excite audiences around the world. In the United States, the first ever on-stage kiss between a "black" man.
In Act 1 scene 3 line 166 Othello says “And that would woo her. Upon this hint I spake”. When looking at this line and previous lines it becomes clear that through stories of his heroic deeds, Othello was able to make Desdemona fall in love with him. Thus, it can be perceived that not even in this tragic play do words only cause devastation but they may also be the cause of love. When looking at words that hold any form of positive power in the play it becomes palpable that Emilia’s lines at the end of the play should be observed. According to Osherow (2012) it was essential for Emilia to speak at the end of the play because the word that she speaks becomes the voice of the audience. Women were not held in high regard during this period in history and then in giving these few words at the end of the play to Emila the playwright lets her be the link between the lies and the truths. This link towards the truth may seem unimportant in the larger scope of things at first, but in reality it is as vital as any malicious line spoken by Iago because these words implicates Iago as the villain but also empowers the female
This line in Act I spoken by Othello, is an indication that he is a good person, although it may appear that he has stolen Desdemona away from her father. Othello says that although he has taken Desdemona as his wife without Brabantio’s consent, he is a good person for stating his reasons for his actions as well as standing his ground. After Othello’s marriage to Desdemona, the conflict starts when Iago insinuates that Desdemona may be having an affair with Cassio, Othello’s honorable lieutenant.... ... middle of paper ...
...her murdered mistress, resuscitates morality in this play. Emilia refutes the untrue notions which Othello says motivated him to kill; she counters Iago’s lies (“She give it Cassio? No, alas, I found it, / And I did give’t my husband.”) and lays the guilt for Desdemona’s murder on his shoulders. And she sacrifices her very life for the truth; she dies a martyr, stabbed by evil Iago. Othello also is a martyr in a sense, paying in full for the crime that he committed.
Iago controls Emilia and treats her as less when she does not act as a submissive wife. Therefore, Emilia follows to keep Iago satisfy. Further, Iago tells Emilia to steal the handkerchief; which she follows without knowing his intentions, to then be insulted by Iago calling her a “foolish wife” (3.3.313), and demanding her, “Go, leave me” (3.3.330). Apparently, Iago makes Emilia lesser, and she accepts her role as a submissive wife. Moreover, although Othello proclaims loving Desdemona, he perceives her as inferior as a result of jealousy. As in Act 5, Scene 2 where Othello says to Desdemona, “Down, strumpet!” (89), suggesting that he puts her in an inferior position to kill her reflecting his true perception of Desdemona. And likewise Emilia, Desdemona accepts the role of an obedient wife by using her last breath to take the fault off Othello
These lines are the first hint given that Desdemona may not have always been completely captivated by her husband. These words, not denied by Othello, sit in contrast to his own. Upon hearing her words, Othello seems a changed man, depressed and submissive, his new attitude brought on by “Desdemona’s own honest account of her original feelings for Othello and the role Cassio played in Othello’s winning of her” (Macaulay 269). With just a little concern for Othello’s own pride, Desdemona have chosen to withhold some words or soften their blow. Instead, her own pride continues to lead her headlong onto a destructive
First, in order to defend Desdemona's chastity, Emilia challenges the societal norm of silence. Recall the incident when Othello calls Desdemona a "whore" for cheating. In response, Emilia protests loudly against Othello and attempts to disprove his belief that Desdemona is not chaste: "A halter pardon him [Othello]! And hell gnaw his bones! / Why should he call her [Desdemona] whore? (4.2. 143,144). Instead of Emilia conforming to the attribute of Renaissance women as silent, she condemns Othello for his false accusations against her mistress, Desdemona. Later in the play, after finding Desdemona killed, Emilia challenges silence again: "As ignorant as dirt! Thou hast done a deed-... / The Moor hath killed my mistress!" (5.2. 171,174). Although Othello tells Emilia that it would be "best" for her to remain silent, she ignores his request and ridicules him for killing "sweet" Desdemona (5.2. 169).
When Othello summons Desdemona and dismisses Emilia, “Leave procreants alone . . .; / Cough or cry hem if anybody come. / Your mystery, your mystery! . . .” (IV.2.28-30), he not only dismisses Emilia, accuses Desdemona of infidelity, and betrays his own insane bitterness, but he converts the marriage into a brothel arrangement in which all three are involved, and by so doing establishes imaginative lines of connection with the role of Bianca and particularly with the Iago philosophy of sexual conduct. (331)
In Shakespeare’s play “Othello” the main characters Othello and Desdemona suffer a tragic fate due to their actions and unforeseen circumstances. A majority of Desdemona’s suffering is down to Iago’s manipulation. However, it could also be argued that Iago is not completely to blame for the misfortune of Desdemona. We as the readers can see evidence of this at certain points in the play where Iago has planted the seeds of despair and Desdemona and Othello have fallen for his plans. In this essay, I will look at key moments in the play where Desdemona is presented as a tragic victim by the writer and justify why she is a tragic victim using quotes from the play.
While she does have good intentions through out parts of the play and is a kind hearted woman, she never defends herself to her diabolical husband. Iago constantly makes hateful and degrading insults towards Emilia. "Come on, come on. You are pictures out of door, bells in your parlors, wild-cats in your kitchens, saints in your injuries, devils being offended, players in your housewifery, and housewives in your beds." (Act 2 scene 1 line 119) Not once does she ever defend herself. In fact, she is nothing but eager to please her husband to win his affection. "I nothing but to please his fantasy" (Act 3 scene 3 Line 343) She betrays her friendship with by stealing her handkerchief and gives it to Iago hoping to satisfy him. This utterly fails leaving Emilia with the desire to continue to try to please him. "Who would not make her husband a cuckold to make him a monarch? I should venture purgatory for 't" (Act 4, Scene 3, line 85) She is a representation of an abused woman who does not have enough self respect to defend herself. It is evident she makes herself a slave to Iago by consistently trying to make him happy despite his malevolent behaviour. Emilias lack of self confidence and passiveness proves that the women in Othello are powerless and